As 2024 approaches, the idea of a high-octane action film featuring Karl Urban from “The Boys”alongside Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock”Johnson is undoubtedly exciting. Urban has been steadily rising in prominence, with career-defining choices, harking back to his standout role in the often-overlooked “Dredd.”Meanwhile, Johnson, who once enjoyed unparalleled success at the box office, has seen a slight dip in his popularity with recent films like “Black Adam”and “Red One.”However, his ability to captivate audiences, as demonstrated by “Moana,”reaffirms his status as a leading draw in cinema.
When imagining the collaboration of these two action icons, it seems like a guaranteed hit. However, a glance back nearly two decades highlights a different reality: their only joint venture was a film that’s largely forgotten by audiences. This collaboration resulted in a significant box office disappointment, garnering a mere 34% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, and failing to recoup its production costs.
Despite the underwhelming reception of their project, the video game adaptation Doom does feature a notable scene that deserves recognition. While the film may have floundered—marking one of Urban’s early leading roles—it also paved the way for his potentially successful return to the genre as he prepares to portray Johnny Cage in “Mortal Kombat 2.”Now is an opportune moment to revisit “Doom”and explore the brief cinematic brilliance it offered.
Unpacking the Criticism of Doom
Another Cursed Adaptation from Video Games
Recent years have seen a remarkable resurgence in the quality of video game adaptations, with successful titles like “The Last of Us,””Fallout,””Arcane,””Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,”and the “Sonic”trilogy emerging in the 2020s. This is a stark contrast to the landscape of the early 2000s, when adaptations often failed miserably, with “Doom”being a prime example. Upon its release, Doom struggled financially, amassing just under $60 million globally against its $70 million production budget—an extravagant sum for a video game-based film at the time.
The critical reception of Doom was also dismal, reflected in its 18% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. While audience sentiments were slightly more favorable, a significant portion criticized the film for deviating from its gaming origins. Particularly, it lacked the atmospheric elements that made the original “Doom”games compelling, ultimately failing to deliver a satisfying cinematic experience. Still, there is a noteworthy moment amidst the film’s shortcomings that reveals its potential.
The Iconic First-Person Sequence: An Unlikely Gem
One Brief Moment of Cinematic Brilliance
Amidst the unimpressive narrative of “Doom,”there exists a standout moment: a four-minute sequence that effectively captures the essence of first-person shooting—a hallmark of the game series. This scene, viewed from Karl Urban’s perspective, sees him navigate a facility overwhelmed by sporadic enemy attacks, delivering a rare glimpse of how a true “Doom”adaptation could have thrived.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmN1Xk1SdwQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmN1Xk1SdwQ
First-person sequences are infrequently utilized in cinema, yet they add a dynamic flair to the genre. “Hardcore Henry”serves as a recent example that embraces this technique throughout its duration. In “Doom,”the first-person perspective injects a vigor into the film that otherwise feels lethargic, transforming it into one of the more memorable action scenes across all cinema. Although “Doom”itself may not be a well-crafted film, it does contain a genuinely great sequence that hints at the potential greatness of the genre.
Source: The Numbers